Calculating-machine.



W. H. SMITH.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV3.19I3. RENEWED MAY |9.19|s.

Patented June 20, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- IIVI/ENTOR A rronwzr W. H. SMITH.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

nrrucmou min" NOV.3. xelainanzwzn an I9. 1916.

1 ,1 88., 1 08 Patented J 11119 20, 1916.

2 $HEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CALCULATING-MACHINE.

Application filed November 3, 1913, Serial No. 798,906. Renewed May 19, 1916.

. the production of a machine of this character primarily devised for rapidly adding or subtracting common fractions such as are most commonly used in engineering, without mental effort. v

A further object is the production of a machine as mentioned, which will be of durable and economical construction, one in which the adding or subtracting may be effected with exceptional rapidity and fi-Wll',

ity, and one which will be of high efficiency in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a calculating machine embodying one form of my invention, Fig. 2 is a central section thereof, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bottom plate of the casing of the device, Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the brake mechanism which cooperates with the rotatable disks, Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating thev spring pressed movable tooth which is included in the construction, Fig. 6 is a sectional detail illustrating the hubbed construction of the rotating disks of the device, Fig. 7 is a plan view of the device with parts broken away to better illustrate the construction, Fig. 8 is a plan view of another form of the device, with parts broken away to better illust ate the construction, Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail of the mechanism for preventing rotation of the second disk when one is rotated through frictional engagement between said disks, Fig. 10 is a detail side elevation, partially diagrammatic, of the gearing employed in the form shown in Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

8, and Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 9.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawings and particularly in the first sheet thereof comprises a flatsubstantially rectangular casing consisting of a bottom plate A and a top member B, the latter comprising the top and lateral Walls of the casing, which are formed preferably integral or in one piece. The bottom plate A isprovided at its periphery with -upvardly extending ears (I having perforations which are engaged by screws j passing through the lateral wall or top member B to securely fasten said parts together. The cars a thus serve as spacing means for the top and bottom walls of the casing in addition to serving as means for connecting the two parts of the casing. Arranged centrally in the casing thus formed is a post P rigidly secured in position by. means of a screw R which passes through bottom plate A. Arranged in the casing for rotation about the post P are two concentric superimposed disks D and E, the former having a tubular hub which engages about the post I, the disk E also having a tubular hub but which engages around the hub of disk D, as clearly shown in Fig. (i. Said disks are held in position upon the post P by means of a circular plate (1 secured to the outer end of post I by means of a. screw Q, said disks being thus held in position against longitudinal movement upon said post between bottom plate A and plate C.

The disks D and I) are provided adjacent their peri 'iheries with spaced perforations \V and K respectively, the disk I) being of such diameter as to expose the perforations X beyond the periphery thereof, said perforations being accessible for engagement by a pointed instrument such as av pencil or the like, to rotate the same, through an annular opening which is formed between the periphery of the plate C and a circular opening formed in the top wall of the casing as clearly shown in the several views. A neck n is formed upon the plate (7 projecting from one side of the'periphery thereofwhich spans said annular opening. the outer end of said neck engaging the top wall of the easing whereby the plate C will be securely held against rotation. Said neck, at the same time as the same serves as a means of fixing the plate G against rotary movement, also serves as a stop for the tool engaging the perforations W or X in disks D and E during the operation of the device, as will be hereinafter described.

There are sixty-four perforations pro vided in each of the disks D and E and arranged upon the upper side of the disk E opposite the perforations therein are fractional numerals which include all of the common fractions fron one-sixty-fourth to sixty-three sixty-fourths which are arranged upon said disk in succession and in annular formation so as to be successively exposed at an exposure opening i formed in the top wall of the case, when said disk is rotated, said fractions progressing upon said disk in a clockwise direction. These fractions in using the device are presumed to indicate fractions of inches.

Arranged upon the upper side of the disk D opposite or corresponding with the perforations W are numerals running from zero to sixty-three which, in the employment of the device are presumed to indicate inches. Also arranged upon the upper side of the disk D adjacent the inch indications thereon are numerals which express the inches in feet and inches so that 40 inches is also expressed as 3-4 meaning three feet four inches, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The plate 0 is provided with an exposure opening 0 through which the latter numerals are displayed.

Fixed to the lower end of the hub of disk D is a gear H which meshes with a pinion J mounted upon a stud the ends of which are mounted in bearings provided in plate A, and a bracket K secured to said plate by Fixed to the hub of-disk E is a gear F and a circular plate G to the under side of the latter of which is pivoted at g a tooth M which is adapted for engagement with the pinion J, the arrangement being such that, upon each complete rotation of disk E, said tooth M will engage the pinion J effecting partial rotation thereof, and which in turn moves the gear H and hence the disk D one degree or a distance corresponding with the space between the perforations W arranged therein. Hence with this arrangement it will be seen that each completerotation of the disk E will correspond with one inch which will be indicated at the exposure opening C through advancing the disk D one degree. Further, with this arrangement, in the adding operation,

as one inch is totaled by the disk E at the exposure openin z, this will be indicated at the opening C t rough the partial rotation which is imparted to the disk D upon each complete rotation of said disk E as just mentioned.

Hinged at r to the upper side of the casing is a .circular plate N which, in operativeposition, fits in a recess provided in the u per side of said ca'sin as clearly shown Ill Fig. 7. The free en 1) of the plate N'is formed into a lip which embraces the corresponding ed e of the casing in order to releasably holf said plate in its operative position. Provided upon the upper side of the plate N are graduations which are positioned for cooperation with the perforations W and X on disks D and E. Said graduations indicate fractions of inches when employed in conjunction with perforations X, the fractional indications correspondin with those arranged upon the disk E a though expressed slightly different, the denominators which are the sixty-fourths of inches being omitted. This arrangement, however, will be understood by the operator of the device in using the same. Such an arrangement is adopted since these graduations are employed in conjunction also with the perforations W in dealing with whole inches or integers, as will be readily understood.

In the employment of the device' for adding purposes the fractions indicated upon the member N serve as a guide or index in the engagement of the pointed tool employed in conjunction with the device with the perforations X and W. Before commencing the adding operation the disks D and E are so positioned that zero will be displayed at both openings 2' and c, the perforations X and W opposite the zero indications upon said disks being distinctively marked as at k and Z in order to facilitate the adjustments of said disks to the zero positions, such adjustment being effected by engaging said distinctively marked perforations it and Z and revolving the disks in a counter-clockwise direction until the tool contacts with the neck n, when the zero indications will be displayed at the openings i and c. This being done the tool is successively inserted intdthe perforations X or W corresponding with the fractions or integers which it is desired to add, and in each case the disk engaged is rotated in a counterclockwise direction until the tool contacts with the neck a. The sum or total of the fractions at the end of the operation will be displayed at the openings 0 and i, the integers or whole inches being displayed at the former and the fractions of inches at the latter, as will be readily understood.

The bottom of the recess in which the circular plate N rests, when in operative position, is also graduated, these graduations being identical with those arranged upon the upper side of plate N, but are arranged in reverse order or in a counter-clockwise direction in order to adapt the device for use in subtracting. In the latter use of the device, the disk E is first so adjusted as to tool in a countor-clockwise direction or in the same direction as when adding, the re sulting fraction being exposed at said exposure opening '11. The use of the device in subtracting'is, however, restricted to fractional subtracting since the disk I) or integer disk may not be employed in this operation.

The tooth M is pivoted at g as above set forth so as to move n'onradially and'the same is yieldingly held in position by means of a leaf spring 0 which is interposed between said tooth and a post f so as to be adapted to move to inoperative position when the disk I) is operated, in order to add whole inches or integers with the fractional disk E positioned to indicate sixtythree-sixty-fourths. When the disk E is at the position last mentioned the tooth M is positioned in such close proximity with the teeth of pinion J that operative movement of said pinion through rotation of the disk I) would cause the tooth M to be moved by said pinion in advancing and thereby disturb the fractional reading were the tooth rigidly mounted. By providing a tooth which is adapted to retreat or yield toward the center when struck by the pinion, the difliculty just mentioned, is overcome, since with this arrangement, the tooth M will be normally held in operative position by the spring 0, but will yield and move to inoperative position upon rotation of the pinion .l through adjustment of the disk D in the event of the disk E being positioned to indicate siXty-three-siXty-fourths. A stop pin S cooperates with the tooth M to limit the outward movement thereof under the influence of spring 0.

Cooperating with the gears F and H are spring fingers L rigidly secured at their rearward ends to the plate A by screws t. The free ends of fingers L are adapted to yieldingly engage with the toothed peripheries of gears F and H in order to hold the gears in any position to which the same may be adjusted in the operation of the device, said fingers serving merely as brake or frie tion means to prevent inertial movement of said disks during rotary adjustment.

Provided at the under side of the disk E is a plate I which serves to close the inner ends of the perforations X provided in said disk and thus prevent the entry of dirt or dust into the interior of the casing. Further, said plate I serves to limit the extent of insertion of the pointed tool which is employed in adjusting said disks, preventing the inner end of the tool projecting inwardly to such an extent as to tamper or interfere with the mechanism positioned be-' low said disk. Formed upon the cars a which project inwardly from the base plate A are lugs (I which-engage against the under side of the plate I to support and reinforce the same, preventing sagging which might otherwise result through continued use of the device.

The disks D and E being superimposed, in the-adjustment of one there might be a tendency-for the other to move with the first by reason of the frictional contact between the same. In order to prevent such movement of either of said disks upon adjustment of the other, a device is provided for absolutely locking the one disk in. position when the other is operated except when the integer disk or disk D is adjusted through a completion of the rotation of the fractional disk E. This device comprises an exteriorly projecting depressible button 1 which is loosely mounted in a depressed portion 2 in one side of the casing member B. The button 1 is carried at the outer end of a stem 3 which is slidably mounted at its. inner end in a bearing 4. Arranged at the innerend of the stem 3 is a dog 5 having points 6 and 7 adapted for engagement respectively with the gears H and F, said points 6 and 7 being offset as clearly shown in Fig. 11 so as to permit of this engagement. The member 5 is pivotally mounted on a post 11 which projects upwardly from the base plate A, ears 10 formed upon said member 5 engaging said post, as clearly shown in Figs. 9 and 11. The inner end of stem 3 is pivotallyconnected at 12 with the member 5 and a helical compression spring 9 cooperates with said stem to normally hold the member 5 with the point 6 engaging with the gear H, the point 7, in this position of said member 5 being in inoperative position. Through depression of the button 1 the point 6 may be moved from engagement with the gear H and the point 7 moved into engagement with the gear F. With this arrangement it will be seen that the gear H and hence the disk D which is fixedly connected with said gear will be normally locked against rotary movement and thus rotation of said disk through frictional engagement with the disk E prevented. A pin 8 projecting from the gear F is'so positioned upon the latter that, as the disk E approaches a completion of a rotation, said pin will contact with a cam car 13 projecting fromthe member 5 and cause the latter to be rocked so as to effect disengagement of the point 6 thereof from the gear H. In the rocking of the member thereof with the gear F, the arrangement being such, as clearly shown in. Fig. 7, as to permit of said member 5 assumln a neutral position in this rocking thereo With this arrangement then, it will be seen that the gear H and hence the disk D will be locked against movement as above mentioned except when the same is advanced through completion of a rotation by the fraction disk E. When it is desired to add whole inches or integers, the button 1 is depressed to disengage the gear H and hence the integer disk D and lock the gear F and hence the fraction disk E against movement. Thus, with this arrangement neither of said disks may influence the other by reason of the frictional contact of said disks.

In Fig. 8 is shown a form wherein as fast as the inches aggregate 12, as indicated by the integer disk, the same will be carried over to indicate feet upon additional disks.

In this form, it is necessary that the inch or integer disk D instead of being divided into sixty-four divisions as in the form just described, shall be divided in some multiple of twelve. Said disk is therefore divided into sixty divisions, the divisions being numbered from one to twelve which reading is repeated five times upon said disk. The gear H cooperating with the disk D is of course provided with a corresponding number of teeth which mesh with the pinion J in the same manner as in the form first described. The disk D being provided with sixty divisions, the number of perforations thereof is also necessarily changed to correspond and so that it becomes impossible to employ the graduations upon the member N and top of casing member B, in adjusting said disk as was possible in the first described form. Therefore, in th1s form, the circular plate C is provided with a series of graduations extending from one to twelve for cooperation with the perforations in disk D in the adjustment of the latter.

The gear F carries a movable tooth M for engagement with a pinion 1n the same manner as before, but in this case, as the gear H has sixty teeth instead of sixty-four, the teeth are a little farther apart than in the form first described, and it becomes possible to use a fixed tooth instead of the movable one, as this tooth will stand clear of the teeth of the pinion in its closest position relative thereto. In this form the gear H carries five movable teeth M equally spaced upon the under side thereof which are adapted for engagement with a pinion J mounted upon the base plate A, said pinion meshing with a gear T which in turn meshes with a gear T which is fixed to a shaft upon which is carried a second gear T. The movable tooth M is shown of the same form' as the tooth M above described, but if desired the movable teeth M may be dispensed with because of the size of the pinion with which the same engage and stationary or rigid teeth employed formed integral with a circular plate G fixed to the under side of the gear H or for the same reason as above set forth with regard to the tooth M employed in this form.

The gear Tmeshes with a gear F which is fixed to the hub of a disk E in the same manner as the gear F is connected with the disk E, above described, said gear and disk being mounted to rotate about a post secured to the base plate A in the same manner as the post P. A disk I) is mounted for rotary movement relative to the disk E in the same manner as the disk D is mount ed relative to disk E above described, said disks D and E being operatively connected in the same manner as said disks 1) and E so that upon each complete rotation of the disk E the disk D will be advanced one degree. lVith this arrangement then, it will be seen that, as the disk D registers twelve inches the disk E will be moved to indicate one foot, the disk E being provided with numerals upon its upper side which. are visible through an exposure slot or notch IV in the top plate of the casing. Said disk E will register the number of feet up to one hundred feet, the disk D being adapted to register hundreds of feet,

the numerals arranged upon the disk D being visible through an exposure slot or notch V provided in the circular plate C. A neck 71. connects the plate C with the top plate of the casing member B in the same manner as before and serves as a stop for the adjusting instrument also in the samen'ianner as before, said disks D and E being provided with spaced perforations for engagement by the adjusting tool in the same manner as the disks D and E.

The top of the casing member B is provided with graduations as shown for cooperation with the perforations provided in disks D and E, these graduations corresponding with the numerals arranged upon said disks, as will be readily understood.

ing my invention into effect, these are mpable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modilications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

llaving described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A calculating machine comprising a rotatably mounted disk; two sets of superimposed oppositely arranged graduations adapted for cooperation with said disk, the upper one of said sets of graduations being movable so as to be adapted to be moved from position over the lower set, when the latter is used, substantially as described.'

2. A calculating machine comprising a rotatably mounted disk; graduations for cooperation with said disk; and a supplemental member removably arranged over said graduations and having graduations thereon reversely arranged relative to the arrangement of said first mentioned graduations, substantially as described.

A calculating machine comprising a rotatably mounted disk, said disk having a series of spaced perforations and numerals arranged in circular formation adjacent the periphery thereof, said perforations being adapted for engagement by a tool in rotating said disk; graduations for cooperating with said disk perforations; and a supplemental member removably arranged over said graduations and having reversely arranged graduations thereon also adapted for cooperation with said disk perforations, substantially as described.

4:. A calculating machine comprising a se ries of concentric rotatably mounted disks; transfer means operatively connecting said disks whereby, upon complete rotation of one of said disks, the other will be turned through a fraction of a rotation; a double acting pivotally mounted pawl adapted in one position to prevent rotation of one of said disks, and, in another position, to prevent rotation of the other of said disks, and adapted to assume an intermediate neutral position in which both of said disks are free for rotation; means for normally holding said pawl in operative relation with one of said disks; means on said transfer means for automatically moving said pawl to neutral position at a predetermined time in the movement of said transfer means; and manually operable means for moving said pawl from its normal position in operative relation with the one disk to operative relation with the other disk, substantially as described.

5. A calculating machine comprising a series of concentric rotatably mounted disks; transfer means operatively connecting said disks whereby, upon complete rotation of one of said disks, the other will be turned through a fraction of a rotation; a doubleacting pivotally mounted pawl adapted in one position to prevent rotation of one of said disks, and, in another position, to prevent rotation of the other of said disks, and adapted to assume an intermediate neutral position in which both of said disks are free for rotation; means for normally holding said pawl in operative relation with one of said disks; a pin on said transfer means for automatically moving said pawl to neutral position at a predetermined time in the movement of said transfer means; and manually operable means for moving said pawl from its normal position in operative relation with the one disk to operative relation with the other disk, substantially as described.

(i. A calculating machine comprising a series of concentric rotatably mounted disks; transfer means operatively connecting said disks whereby, upon complete rotation of one of said disks, the other will be turned through a fraction of a rotation; a doubleacting pawl pivotally .mounted intermediate its ends and having engaging jaws at both ends each cooperating with one of said disks to prevent rotation thereof, the relative arrangement of said jaws being such that when one jaw is in operative position, the other will be in inoperative position, said pawl being also adapted to assume an intermediate neutral position in which said jaws will be both in inoperative position to permit of free rotation of both of said disks; resilient means for normally holding said pawl in operative relation with one of said disks; means on said transfer means for automatically moving said pawl to neutral position at a predetermined time in the movement of said transfer means; and manually operable means connected with said pawl for moving the latter from its normal position in operative relation with the one disk to operative relation with the other disk, substantially as des ribed.

7. A calculating machine comprising a series of concentric rotatably mounted disks; transfer means operatively connecting said disks whereby, upon complete rotation of one of said disks, the other will be turned through a fraction of a rotation; a doubleacting pawl pivotally mounted intermediate its ends and having engaging jaws at both ends each cooperating with one of said disks to prevent rotation thereof, the relative arrangement of said jaws being such that when one jaw is in operative position, the other will be in inoperative position, said pawl being also adapted to assume an intermediate neutral position in which said jaws will be both in inoperative position to permit of free rotation of both of said disks; a helical compression spring for normally holding said pawl in operative relation with one ofsaid disks; an exteriorly projecting depressible stem connected with said pawl upon which said spring is mounted, for

moving said pawl from its last mentioned In testimony whereof I have signed my position to operatwe relation with the other name to this specification 1n the presence of disk; and means on sand transfer means for two subscriblng witnesses.

automatically moving said pawl to neutral WILLIAM H. SMITH. position at a predetermined time in the \Vitnesses: movement of said transfer means, substan- Josmm R. H. Poms,

tially as described. HELEN I LILLIS. 

